In this interview, Karine Ponsot, Methods Assistant at JTEKT, shares her experience and perspectives on the use of Skill FMEA Pro, a specialized software package for managing FMEAs. JTEKT, a company in the automotive sector, is subject to strict quality and compliance requirements, including IATF and AIAG-VDA standards.
FMEA, an essential tool for guaranteeing product reliability, plays a fundamental role in risk management, and the adoption of dedicated software has enabled JTEKT to optimize its efficiency while simplifying the failure management process. The interview also highlights the importance of proactive customer relations and tailor-made technical support in maximizing the efficiency of the tool and teams.
Could you introduce yourself and the challenges you face in terms of FMEA?
"We specialize in the manufacture of needle roller bearings, in particular bushes for steering columns, mainly for the automotive sector.
In this context, compliance with automotive standards such as IATF or VDA is imperative. FMEA is an indispensable tool for ensuring compliance. We started running FMEA sessions in 2017 using Skill FMEA Pro software. Before that, we were using Excel. And switching to specialized software radically changed our approach and efficiency."
Using software dedicated to managing FMEAs offers significant advantages for the automotive industries, particularly in the context of manufacturing critical components such as needle bearings. This type of tool offers a rigorous structure for failure mode analysis, facilitating compliance with stringent standards such as IATF 16949 and VDA 6.3. FMEA software incorporates advanced features such as quantitative risk analysis, automatic prioritization of potential failures, and standardized report generation, all of which significantly improve the accuracy and completeness of assessments compared with traditional spreadsheet-based methods.
What's more, these specialized solutions promote a systematic approach to continuous improvement, a key element of modern automotive standards. They facilitate implementation of the 7-step approach advocated by the AIAG-VDA collaboration, which focuses on system analysis, failure analysis and risk mitigation. This structured methodology helps manufacturers to proactively identify potential problems, prioritize corrective actions according to failure severity, and optimize production processes, thus contributing to higher product quality and greater customer satisfaction.
Can you tell us about the benefits and results observed when using Skill Software's FMEA software?
"Before adopting the software, writing an FMEA easily took 20 hours, or even more, depending on the complexity. Today, the same work can be completed in around 10 hours. This time saving is partly due to the centralization of data: the software groups together the FMEA and the associated action plan, which considerably simplifies the process.
Skill FMEA Pro also allows you to build a library of failures, causes and actions, particularly useful in our case where products in the same family share common characteristics. For example, if the same failures or causes recur frequently, they simply need to be selected from the library, thus ensuring consistency and saving time.
Another strong point is the instantaneous translation, which is very practical for our international customers. Once the French library has been translated, all you have to do is change the language, and the software does the rest.
There's also everything to do with layout, monitoring plans and graphics, which are automated, meeting the requirements of both customers and auditors."
The adoption of a software solution specialized in FMEA management significantly reduces risk analysis processing times. Before the integration of such a tool, the process of writing and validating a FMEA could take several days, due to the complexity of manual tasks and the absence of a unified framework for data collection and analysis. Today, thanks to the automation of repetitive steps such as data entry or report layout, these tasks can be completed in much less time, freeing up resources for more in-depth analysis and proactive risk management. This time saving is essential for accelerating the product development cycle and production start-up in the automotive industry, where deadlines are often tight.
A dedicated FMEA software solution also offers a high degree of robustness in tracking and managing recurring failures. In sectors such as the automotive industry, where products are often derived from similar component families, the management of multiple occurrences of defects or common causes becomes more efficient. Automating the management of corrective and preventive actions makes it possible to link solutions directly to recurring problems, while ensuring the consistency and traceability of decisions taken. This approach guarantees not only a reduction in the risks associated with failures, but also continuous process improvement, since actions are better tracked and documented as they are updated.
Finally, a specialized software solution promotes compliance with standards and auditor requirements. Automated document creation, including the monitoring plans and graphics required for customer reports, directly meets the needs of international industrial partners. Rapid adaptation of documents to different languages and formats ensures smooth communication, even in a global context. What's more, the integration of these tools into a production environment enhances the visibility and transparency of analyses, reducing human error and increasing the reliability of the information transmitted. This level of standardization and quality in the documents produced is essential for maintaining trusting relationships with customers and complying with the strict regulations of the automotive sector.
Which elements of the Skill Software's solution and support do you find most beneficial?
"One of the aspects I particularly appreciate is the management of failure data. The software facilitates the capitalization of information: it's possible to quickly find out whether a failure, cause or action has already been mentioned in other operations. This promotes consistency and avoids unnecessary duplication.
The visualization of severity, frequency and detection scores is also a major asset. The software provides a clear summary that helps prioritize actions.
Finally, the ability to link a single action to several causes is a real time-saver, as it avoids re-entering information.
The follow-up offered by Skill Software is remarkable. One memorable experience was when our server, which hosted the software, caught fire. We lost everything, but the Skill Software team helped us rebuild quickly. Their technical support is reliable, and they always listen to our needs. Their after-sales service is a real strong point."
In the automotive industry, where accuracy and responsiveness are paramount, a proactive, support-oriented customer relationship is essential to maximize the effectiveness of FMEA management tools. A software solution provider must not only supply a suitable tool, but also offer ongoing support to ensure that customers' specific needs are taken into account and risk management processes are optimized. Personalized support, particularly in dealing with complex and recurring failures, enables companies to maintain optimum use of the software and improve decision-making.
In addition, responsive after-sales service and efficient technical support are essential, especially in the event of unforeseen incidents such as data loss. In such situations, rapid, reliable follow-up minimizes the impact on production and boosts customer confidence. Constant support and listening to feedback ensure that risk management practices evolve continuously, ensuring process consistency and compliance with automotive industry requirements. This enables companies to remain competitive while optimizing the quality and reliability of their products.
In a few words, how would you describe Skill Software and their solution?
"It's an efficient solution that perfectly meets the requirements of our industry. The Skill Software team is dynamic, responsive and always ready to support us in our challenges."
